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Chasing Shadows
Friday, September 13, 2024 by Rick Stockwell
Chasing Shadows
READ 2 Corinthians 11:1-15
… Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.
- 2 Corinthians 11:14b-15a (NIV)
I have a cockapoo named Amazing Grace. One day, while walking on our driveway, a butterfly flew by, casting a shadow. As the butterfly fluttered about, Gracie began chasing the shadow instead of the butterfly.
Jesus said that Satan is a liar (John 8:44). The apostle John wrote that Satan controls the world (1 John 5:19b) and “leads the whole world astray” (Revelation 12:9). The apostle Paul wrote that Satan “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 14b).
Satan’s primary goal is to divert glory and worship from God to himself (Matthew 4:8-11). He often does this through deception. Satan’s pattern with individual Christians, who are God’s standard bearers on earth, is to lead them down a path contrary to God’s Word, then condemn them when they fall into his trap, thus gaining glory for himself. His pattern with churches is to nudge them to follow the world’s standards for what’s right and wrong, rather than God’s, to once again divert glory to himself.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
We bring glory to God when we obey his Word.
Prayer: Father in heaven, please help us chase after you, not the ways of this world.
Prayer Focus: CHURCHES
Rick Stockwell
Rick Stockwell is employed as an IT Program Manager. He teaches Sunday school for kindergartners, is an elder at his church, and is the author of two Christian novels: THE WALL and THE BATTLE. He's been married for thirty-four years, and has two children and five grandchildren.
Book link: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07HQ8G3MJ
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